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PRAYER FOR THE WEEK
Jesus, remind me to pray when I'm stressing over end-of-the-year tests and projects! Amen.
After Jesus died, the Apostles hid in a locked room to get away from those who killed Him. Suddenly, Jesus was in the room with them! "Peace be with you," He said, showing them the cuts in His hands and side to prove it was really Him. "Receive the Holy Spirit," He added, and gave them the power to forgive sins.

The end of the school year is almost here. For some kids, that means final exams, term papers due and projects to finish. As excited as you are about summer, you can also get really overwhelmed about everything you have to finish first!

In this week's Gospel (John 20:19-23), the Apostles are in that space. Jesus has died. They know they're supposed to carry on His work, teaching people about God, but they feel overwhelmed. People might not listen to what they teach; after all, they're just simple guys, not the Son of God. People might hurt them or even kill them the way Jesus was killed. How are they going to get all of this done?

It's funny how kids and even Apostles can forget about asking God for help!

For the Apostles, Jesus' answer is simple: They've been taught what they need to know, and they'll have help to get the work done. Jesus calls on the Holy Spirit to be with them and reminds them that even when Jesus goes back to heaven, the Spirit will stay with them - and they can pray anytime they want to connect with God and need reassurance.

It's the same at the end of the school year. You may have a lot to get done, but you're not alone in doing it. God is always with you, and you can pray anytime. Studying, finishing projects and taking exams can be a little less stressful when you remember you have God at your side![[In-content Ad]]

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